By Edmond Ortiz :
February 19, 2013

Alamo Heights residents will have a chance Tuesday to comment on a high-rise apartment complex proposed for the intersection of Austin Highway and Broadway. The public hearing begins at 5:30 p.m. in City Council chambers at 6116 Broadway.

According to plans, there would be two levels of underground parking to accommodate the 440 spaces required by city codes, featuring a Spanish stucco design similar to the nearby old Mobil gas station.

In a brief interview with a reporter, former City Councilman Bill Kiel said he has questions about the project, such as building height, parking needs, traffic congestion, and that the part of the property is in a floodplain.

Kiel also questioned the project's impact on Alamo Heights as a whole, wondering how such a purely high-density housing project would affect area water usage and schools.

It would need approval from several city committees before advancing to council for consideration.

In other news, City Manager Mark Browne told city council Feb. 11 that a landlord at Alamo Hills Shopping Center has agreed to lease the property so that municipal offices have a temporary home during demolition and construction of a new City Hall complex.

Browne said the plan is to move into the temporary facilities in March, and council will begin meeting there in April.

At a special council meeting Feb. 12, council voted 4-1 in favor of the design and budget for the new municipal complex. It's expected to cost $6.3 million, and was approved by voters in a November 2011 bond issue election.

Councilman Bobby Hasslocher voted against the final design and budget after expressing concern that the facilities could more than $6.3 million. Architects and contractors told council that the project is within its budget at this point, and can be tweaked if needed to stay there.

Construction is scheduled to begin in July. Sarah Reveley later emailed city officials, asking them to keep her and fellow residents better updated on ongoing changes to design and budget plans for the new city hall complex.

Terrell Hills City Council on Feb. 11 gave a tentative approval to Salim Merchant's special use permit request to rezone part of 2115 Harry Wurzbach from semi-commercial to commercial. The only outstanding item is the requirement to provide a site plan for council to approve.

Merchant said he'd like to place a hair salon in the existing strip center that is zoned semi-commercial. Under that zoning, current city ordinance only allows for office with no sales/service.

Council previously denied Merchant's original rezoning request, citing concern that zoning to total commercial could widen the possibility of allowing any business, permissible under present rules, to open at the property in question.

Council on Feb. 11 also selected March 27 for the open house to showcase the new municipal complex. A 9 a.m. ceremony will kick things off, and residents and visitors may tour the facilities until 7 p.m.

Council hosted a ceremony to honor the city's police department, which on Jan. 30 received the award of “Recognized Law Enforcement Agency from the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Recognition Program.

Begun in 2006, the recognition program evaluates a police department's compliance with more than 165 best business practices for Texas law enforcement.

This voluntary process required the local police department to conduct a critical self-review of its policies, procedures, facilities and operations, starting in September 2011.

Terrell Hills becomes only the 73rd agency in the state to be so recognized.

Through consent agenda,
Castle Hills City Council on Feb. 12 accepted Donald Davis' letter that gives his intent to retire as police chief. Davis has been police chief since 2002.

Council has accepted City Manager Rita Hoyl's recommendation to appoint Capt. Wayne Davis the new police chief, effective March 1.

Also retiring is Assistant Fire Chief Mike Fincke, who's been with the fire department for 38 years. Council honored Fincke's service to the city with a plaque and resolution.

Council hosted a presentation by Ron Clary, associate superintendent for operations with the North East Independent School District.

The program partners are proposing that the city of Castle Hills contribute funds to help place SPARK Parks at Castle Hills and Jackson Keller elementary schools. NEISD and SAS also would contribute funds toward this project.

SPARK Parks are designed to improve school playgrounds by turning them into fitness parks for the public. Castle Hills council will deliberate later on this matter.